HELSINKI, July 29 (Reuters) – Finnish chemicals firm Kemira (KRA1V.HE) reported higher second-quarter profit due to stronger demand across all its units, and predicted full-year earnings would rise year on year.
“Customer demand is getting stronger. Operating profit from continuing operations, excluding non-recurring items, is expected to grow notably from last year,” the firm said in a statement on Thursday.
April-to-June underlying operating profit rose 38 percent versus a year ago to 40.5 million euros ($52.7 million), at the top end of forecasts in a Reuters poll of analysts. Revenues rose 12 percent to 545 million, trumping all expectations.
“The recovery in demand which started at the end of the first quarter also continued in the second quarter,” said Kemira, a supplier of chemicals to the paper, oil and water industries. ($1=.7684 Euro) (Editing by Jon Loades-Carter)